My tort just wont stop pooping.

[Clueless Tortoise]

Hi,

All of a sudden, my little dude wont stop pooping. I give him 20 - 30 minute soaks almost every day ( I've skipped a day once or twice) and he poops very little in his bathing tub. So once he's done, I'll dry him off and put him down for two seconds, flush the poopy water, turn back around, and he's crapped all over the place. Same with cleaning his enclosure, I clean it out, put him back, and two minutes later, he dumps all over his basking / feeding slate, or his substrate. Today he decided to get fancy and prop himself up on the side of the enclosure wall, and smear his doodoo everywhere. All over the sides, turds literally hanging off the wall. He's eating his normal amount and getting exercise, but he wont stop pooping. How can I get him to stop and just go in the tub, or help him poop a little less? Im convinced he's secretly taking laxatives lol.

 

[KarenSoCal]

Oh my! You certainly have my sympathies! But that doesn't help with your problem, does it? ?

Three possibilities popped into my mind.

1). He's not being left in the soak long enough. Give him another 15 min for a total of about 45-50 minutes. See if that helps.

2). Have you started to give him anything different to eat? Maybe feeding at a different time?

3). When you "put him down" while you do other things, like dumping water...any chance he is frightened? Tortoises hate to have their legs dangle. They want their feet on something solid. Maybe, if you're not already doing this, hold him against your chest so his feet rest on you and don't dangle. Move slowly, and put him down slowly.

How large is his enclosure? Does he seem "happy" to you?

If I think of anything else I'll let you know! ?

 

[queen koopa]

“turds literally hanging off the wall”

sorry this is just comical. But how long have you had him? And how old?

 

[Clueless Tortoise]

Oh my! You certainly have my sympathies! But that doesn't help with your problem, does it? ?

Three possibilities popped into my mind.

1). He's not being left in the soak long enough. Give him another 15 min for a total of about 45-50 minutes. See if that helps.

2). Have you started to give him anything different to eat? Maybe feeding at a different time?

3). When you "put him down" while you do other things, like dumping water...any chance he is frightened? Tortoises hate to have their legs dangle. They want their feet on something solid. Maybe, if you're not already doing this, hold him against your chest so his feet rest on you and don't dangle. Move slowly, and put him down slowly.

How large is his enclosure? Does he seem "happy" to you?

If I think of anything else I'll let you know! ?

Thank you. I will soak him longer. Problem is, when it seems like he's completely empty, he gets out and poops. again. So maybe he's not in there long enough.

I haven't given him anything different. As for when I put him down, he doesn't seem to be scared. He loves to explore and he just starts walking around. I don't let him stay on the floor for more than a couple minutes, because I don't want him to get cold. I literally set him down for 5 seconds, and when I turn around he has pooped again.

His enclosure is small right now ( very small ). Im at my grandma's house for another month, so while he's here, my grandma doesn't want any of his stuff on her furniture. I had to get a 3x2 ft tub for him to temporarily be in, and my grandma thinks it's too big. He's used to having more room, so that may be an issue.

He has been hungrier than normal. I'm keeping him up this winter due to an abscess that left a hole, and I need to keep an eye on it this winter, so he's kind of out of his normal routine this season.

As far as his mood, he's been very grumpy, as far as I can tell. Prob due to the small space and not sleeping this winter. Maybe that has a role in it.

 

[Clueless Tortoise]

“turds literally hanging off the wall”

sorry this is just comical. But how long have you had him? And how old?

HAHA. Yeah, I don't know how else to phrase it. ? Honestly idk how he even got it up there. He is 6 years old and I have had him for a little over 5 years now. It's actually quite gross because it gets everywhere. In a way it seems like he's acting out ( idk if torts can do that tho )

 

[Srmcclure]

Oh my! You certainly have my sympathies! But that doesn't help with your problem, does it? ?

Three possibilities popped into my mind.

1). He's not being left in the soak long enough. Give him another 15 min for a total of about 45-50 minutes. See if that helps.

2). Have you started to give him anything different to eat? Maybe feeding at a different time?

3). When you "put him down" while you do other things, like dumping water...any chance he is frightened? Tortoises hate to have their legs dangle. They want their feet on something solid. Maybe, if you're not already doing this, hold him against your chest so his feet rest on you and don't dangle. Move slowly, and put him down slowly.

How large is his enclosure? Does he seem "happy" to you?

If I think of anything else I'll let you know! ?

Maybe also have a towel between you and your baby just in case ! ??

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Unfortunately, you're describing a healthy tortoise.
Maybe it's time for a much larger enclosure where poop won't be as obvious?

 

[Clueless Tortoise]

Unfortunately, you're describing a healthy tortoise.
Maybe it's time for a much larger enclosure where poop won't be as obvious?

Yeah. true. And its not like I want him to be in such a small enclosure. I don't have a choice right now ?

 

[Pastel Tortie]

Have you had any luck in getting your grandmother to stop messing with your tortoise?

 

[Clueless Tortoise]

Have you had any luck in getting your grandmother to stop messing with your tortoise?

yeah. I'm pretty much making up any excuse I can so she can leave him alone. Cause I tried telling her the truth several times and she gets mad and doesn't listen. So I'm just doing what I have to. Oops ? Thanks for asking.

 

[Srmcclure]

yeah. I'm pretty much making up any excuse I can so she can leave him alone. Cause I tried telling her the truth several times and she gets mad and doesn't listen. So I'm just doing what I have to. Oops ? Thanks for asking.

Tell her she's why he's pooping so much and it'll make her house smell ?

 

[Pastel Tortie]

Tell her she's why he's pooping so much and it'll make her house smell ?

Depending on what the grandmother may have been trying to feed the tortoise...

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Yeah. true. And its not like I want him to be in such a small enclosure. I don't have a choice right now ?

I had forgotten I'd spoken to you before.
I'm aware of your situation.
I often answer things without seeing who the poster is.

 

[Clueless Tortoise]

I had forgotten I'd spoken to you before.
I'm aware of your situation.
I often answer things without seeing who the poster is.

I do the same thing lol

 

[crimson_lotus]

Today he decided to get fancy and prop himself up on the side of the enclosure wall, and smear his doodoo everywhere. All over the sides, turds literally hanging off the wall.

...That is actually quite an impressive feat
but not something I would want to be surprised by